A remote controller through which a user inputs a command is used for a digital broadcast receiver such as a smart TV. The remote controller basically includes power, channel change, volume control, external input change keys, numeral keys, etc. Furthermore, the remote controller is additionally provided with keys for supporting setting of the digital broadcast receiver, a key for executing a 3D function, a key for accessing a smart TV menu in the case of a smart TV, etc.
This remote controller based on numeral keys is manufactured for terrestrial broadcasts in order to control the digital broadcast receiver while easily changing a limited number of channels. However, the digital broadcast receiver currently supports various functions such as watching terrestrial broadcasts, watching cable broadcasts through connection of a set-top box, execution of an extended function through connection of an external device such as a DVD player, use of the Internet through a browser, etc.
As the purpose of the digital broadcast receiver is extended, a magic remote controller using a gyroscope appears. According to the magic remote controller, movement of the remote controller is sensed through the gyroscope and the sensed movement is converted into coordinates in the digital broadcast receiver and a pointer corresponding to the coordinates is displayed on the screen of the receiver. To this end, a user interface (UI) of the digital broadcast receiver is modified such that the pointer can be moved and selected.
When a conventional UI is used, a function of the digital broadcast receiver is executed by 1) calling a menu by moving a button or a pointer on the magic remote controller, 2) moving the pointer to a desired function on the menu and 3) selecting the desired function by clicking the pointer.
However, the aforementioned operation is performed only when a function included in the called menu is executed. Since additional keys for functions such as channel change, volume control and the like, which are necessary to watch a broadcast, are allocated to the magic remote controller, the UE cannot be unified.
Furthermore, a conventional magic remote controller does not use a drag operation. The magic remote controller having no drag function does not meet requirements of users accustomed to use touch-based devices.
In addition, when an external device is present, functions such as playback, and search, used in the external device, are not included in the conventional UI and thus the digital broadcast receiver and the external device cannot be controlled in an integrated manner using the magic remote controller. For example, when a user mainly watches cable broadcasts instead of terrestrial broadcasts, the user does not use the magic remote controller for purposes other than power and volume control.